Sorry, no photo today! Busy day, getting last-minute work projects finished up, so I can go camping for the next 3 days! So, I won't be blogging until next Saturday! See you then, hopefully with loads of fun photos from the mountains!

I met my friend Bonnie for lunch at the Mukilteo Coffee Co - we sat outside, next to the building where they do the roasting, which generated a fragrant cloud of steam, billowing into the sunny sky.

Hops grow along the fence and up onto the roof of the restaurant part.

Inside, Bonnie walks toward the cash register with her bag of cookies. They have a lot of colorful and unusual art - very fun! The food is great, too! It was too warm for coffee, so I'll save that experience for next time.

A sun-break at the Walmart parking lot!

I had a meeting at the Highlands in Langley, and got to tour a couple of the houses I did the building plans for. Above is the bathroom, and I really love the backsplash tiles they used: some of the tiles are clear glass, and it really looks great.

 The is the outside - the cottage is called the Goldfinch. It's just over 1000 sq ft, and with the vaulted ceilings and open floor plan, it feels very spacious. We added storage wherever we could, and the result is a very livable little home. Cute, too!

These are the kind of shots that, if it were your kid, he would hate you! But, since it's a cat, and he does goofy things like this all the time, any attention is good! The sun is also good! Licking, maybe not so much.

Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter. ~Ansel Adams

I came across that quote today, and it proved quite true!!  I stopped by Freeland Park to eat my lunch today, and make some cell phone calls - better reception than at home. While I was talking, I vaguely noted loud, annoying bird calls, going on for quite a long period of time. It finally registered in my brain, so I looked around to see what was going on. Roosting in a large fir tree, an eagle was being harassed by a seagull, who was diving over and over again at the eagle. Occasionally the eagle would screech back at the gull.

Eventually, it became too much, and the eagle flew to a nearby tree. Apparently that was what the seagull wanted, because it then just flew away. Always fun to watch nature in action.

On the ferry to the LAST radiation treatment! Whoo-hooo!

On board, we were treated to veiws of the Zeppelin, "Farmers Airship"; look closely and you can see it over Hat Island.

It is one of two zeppelins, and the only one to offer passenger flights. It's here at Everett's Paine Field for a couple of weeks, and today just happened to be the day it arrived from California. Only $375 for a ticket from Airship Ventures. Something I have always wanted to do, but I guess not this time!

No, really, there was only one! Just playing around in Photoshop!

Here are some better shots of Pollo, my new kitty. It's difficult to get a good shot of a black kitteh! Above, he's replete with dinner, but, below is a bit more typical. He swiftly took up residence on the guest bed upstairs, and although he's friendly enough, he's not used to sitting on laps, so we have some learning to do!!

He seems to be adjusting happily, able to go in and out at will, and hang out with us, or stretch out on the bed. Couldn't get much better than that, could it?

And here is my completed project from yesterday's Basket Day class. The basket is woven around a glass vase, so it can be used as a candle holder, or vase, or to hold pens and pencils, or anything!

Basket Day for the Northwest Basket Weavers Guild at Meridian Park. Above is my basket in progress - a ti-twined basket woven around a glass candle holder. It's right in the middle of the diamond design.

Sally taught our class - she appears happy, probably because Sue is actually working on her project and not giving our teacher a hard time! We had a lot of fun!

Mary helps one of her students weaving a garden goose.

And Polly taught the cedar rattle class - I had made one with her a couple of years ago.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010

This Pollo, my new kitty. An admittedly terrible photo, but one that actually kind of shows how his first night here is going. He's a couple of years old, and belonged to my nephew Jon, who is moving, but doesn't have a place to go to. He'll be staying with us for a while, but I will keep Pollo. It has been a long cat-less time, so I'm ready. And Pollo is very independant and easy-going. Well, at least most of the time. He took this move in stride, and I felt comfortable letting him go outside already. He justified that by coming back in on his own, so I have a window that I can keep open for him to come and go.

The reason for this harried look is the swallow parents. Pollo just wanted to relax on the lawn, but they dive-bombed him, so here he is seeking shelter under the trees. I'm sure it was a pretty bewildering welcome! But, to show how smart he is, he has already learned to avoid the front porch and lawn area!

We like shiny red cars!! Cory spent his weekend buffing and polishing and cleaning it up!

Cory on the left, cousin Jon on right. Off to play in the woods.

My lovely niece Chloe has just started her own photo a day project. She will be documenting her first year of college, so it's a very exciting time. I am thrilled to be her inspiration! Here's a link to her blog: chloemae92.blogspot.com.

A quickie shot from the car (while driving) - at various places the motorcycle was silhouetted and looked very cool, but by the time I dug out  my camera (always keep it ready!), the road had curved away from the sun. I do like this image, though; it kind of evokes a hot summer day.

The madrona trees are finally peeling! I've been waiting, but with the cool weather, they were waiting, too. So, after two hot days, the bark is exploding off the tree trunks!

This photo of the buds on my jasmine vine really appeals to me for some reason. I think I love the rich colors, and the way the sun creates the shadows.

 More early morning sun, highlighting the seedpods, and a bug climbing the stalk.

My little pots of cherry tomatoes are FINALLY doing something - it's been a tough go, what with the weather, and the deer, and the rabbits . . .

We have gotten another gasp of really hot summer weather - breaking records at 95 degrees and up! But the lavender is still a huge attraction to the bees and these moths - I couldn't resist.

The alder trees grow cone-like seed pods, and at this time of year they are plump and bright green. Beyond, you can see some of last year's pods, dried and brown, with open pores, having released their load.

Near the location of the first photo, the dried grasses glow golden in the setting sun.

Sunshine and blue sky in the woods, from a moss's point of view.

Found the wing of a moth floating on the moss.

A pair of spiders build a dome-shaped web, catching the sun's glints.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2010

Another trip to the hospital, but on the ferry the sun was bright and sparkly on the water.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2010

We worked on another Photo Art Journal entitled "Dreamscapes". It was a pretty wide-open category, open to whatever interpretation we wanted, and we could also use computer effects and enhancements.

So there are a lot of wonderful photos!

On the right is one of my photos - it is of a group of insects caught in a sunbeam in the woods, but my flash went off and highlighted the insects, making them look like fairies. I just loved it! I did some post-processing: adding a black vignette around the edges, and some hazy filters to make it seem more dreamlike.

The book came wrapped in a dreamy cloud-white soft fleecy cover.

Ok! I finally got my photos uploaded for last weekend, so be sure to go back and check out our Port Townsend fun. I've put up new photos for last Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

After soft rain all day and last night, the grasses were loaded with drops. Too much fun!

It rained today, for the first time in a few weeks, and I went out looking for raindrop pics, but found wildlife in the garden instead!

Summer meadow

Ok, Ok, I have been remiss in getting my photos up! So, I am starting with today, and will be adding the previous few days, so check backwards to see them! Tonight, I was able to get pretty close to the twin fawns that we've had this summer. It's the first time they were around while it was still pretty light, too. I had been wanting to get some shots before their spots faded!

This one was very interested in me, and took a few steps in my direction, tail up and flagged. Caution prevailed, however, and soon after they bounced over the hill as only fawns can.